CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
Shoreline Assessment Job Aid spills. This job aid was developed to supplement the manual,
providing a visual guide to many of the terms used during
When oil contaminates shoreline habitats, responders must shoreline assessments.
survey the affected areas to determine the appropriate
response. Though general approvals or decision tools for use of Photographs are included for the following terminology:
shoreline cleanup methods may be developed during planning Oil distribution (as ranges in percent oil cover)
stages, responders must base specic cleanup recommenda-
Surface oiling thickness descriptors
tions on eld data on the shoreline habitats, type and degree of
shoreline contamination, and spill-specic physical processes. Surface oiling type descriptors
A shoreline assessment program is: Subsurface oiling type descriptors
a SYSTEMATIC approach that uses STANDARD terminol- Sediment types
ogy to collect data on shoreline oiling conditions and Shoreline types
support decision making for shoreline cleanup.
Cleanup methods
FLEXIBLE in terms of scale of the survey and detail of the
data sets collected. Beach terminology is dened on typical cross-sections of sand
and gravel beaches. Percent cover estimation charts are also
MULTI-AGENCY, with TRAINED representatives from all provided.
interested parties who have authority to make decisions.
At a spill, it is important to calibrate by having all team mem-
NOAA published the Shoreline Assessment Manual (Report bers visit a segment together and agree on how the oiling
No. HAZMAT 97-4) which outlines methods for planning and descriptors will be applied for the specic spill when used with
conducting shoreline assessment and incorporating the results the Shoreline Assessment Manual. This job aid is helpful for cali-
into the decision-making process for shoreline cleanup at oil brating and promoting consistency among terms.
BEACH PROFILES 2
3 BEACH PROFILES
Continuous Broken
C 91-100% cover
(seen here as black oil on light sand beach)
51-90% cover
(seen here as brown oil on tan sand beach) B
SU R FA C E O I L D I S T R I B U T I O N P e r c e n t C o v e r 4
5 SU R FA C E O I L D I S T R I B U T I O N P e r c e n t C o v e r
Patchy Sporadic
P 11-50% cover
(seen here as black oil bands on a white sand beachface)
1-10% cover
(seen here as brown oil bands on a white sand beachface) S
Pooled Oil Cover
SU R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S T h i c k n e s s 6
7 SU R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S T h i c k n e s s
Coat Stain
SU R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S T h i c k n e s s 8
9 S U R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e
S U R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e 10
11 S U R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e
TC highly weathered oil of nearly solid consistency non-cohesive, heavily oiled surface sediments
characterized as soft, incipient asphalt
pavements
SR
Asphalt Pavements
S U R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e 12
13 S U B S U R FA C E O IL I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e
S U B S U R FA C E O I L I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e 14
15 S U B S U R FA C E O IL I N G D E S C R I P T I O N S Ty p e
Oil Film
R >256 mm in diameter
B
SEDIMENT TYPES 16
17 SEDIMENT TYPES
Cobble Pebble
G 2 4 mm 0.06 4 mm
S
SEDIMENT TYPES 18
19 SEDIMENT TYPES
Mud
SHORELINE TYPES 20
21 SHORELINE TYPES
3 Sand Beaches
(also includes scarps in sand) 4 Sand Beaches Gravel Beaches
(also includes mixed sand and shell
beaches)
5
Gravel Beaches Riprap Exposed Tidal Flats
SHORELINE TYPES 22
23 SHORELINE TYPES
8a Rocky Shores
8b Man-made Structures Tidal Flats
9
Salt to Brackish Marshes Freshwater Marshes
10a 10b
SHORELINE TYPES 24
25 SHORELINE TYPES
Swamps Mangroves
10c 10d
Barriers/Berms Physical Herding
CLEANUP METHODS 26
27 CLEANUP METHODS
CLEANUP METHODS 28
29 CLEANUP METHODS
CLEANUP METHODS 30
31 CLEANUP METHODS
CLEANUP METHODS 32
33 P E R C E N T C O V E R E S T I M AT I O N C H A R T S
These charts are aids to help you estimate the percent oil coverage in the area you are observing. The black shading represents oil.
Do not spend time trying to get a precise measure of percent cover; the four ranges listed are usually sufcient. The chart below
would prove most helpful in oil band situations; the one on the following page is best for discrete oil deposits such as tarballs.
Chart source: Owens, E.H., and G.A. Sergy. Field Guide to the Documentation and Description of Oiled Shorelines.
Environment Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. March 1994. ISBN 0-662-22048-X.
P E R C E N T C O V E R E S T I M AT I O N C H A R T S 34
Carlos M. Gutierrez
Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
John H. Dunnigan
Assistant Administrator,
Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management
NOAA Ocean Service
August 2007
U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Ocean Service